How Australian hero Karl Stefanovic took a sharp turn to the right – and fell from TV stardom
Guardian AU
•Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:00:15 GMT
📰 What Happened
Karl Stefanovic, the longtime face of Channel Nine's Today show, was dramatically dumped from his $2.8 million contract after embracing far-right activist Tommy Robinson. The Guardian's media correspondent Amanda Meade charts Stefanovic's extraordinary fall from grace, from being crowned Australia's 'hero of 2014' for wearing the same suit for a year to highlight sexism in the media to being ousted from the network just over a decade later. On Friday, Nine announced Stefanovic was leaving the media company 'immediately,' bringing an abrupt end to a 25-year career at the network.
The article traces Stefanovic's political transformation from a jovial, middle-of-the-road breakfast television host who won the Gold Logie — television's highest accolade — to a podcaster who promised he'd 'unleash the beast.' The journey began after he was controversially dropped from the Today show in 2018, returned in 2020, but was sidelined again amid declining ratings and internal tensions at Nine. His move into podcasting saw him take increasingly hard-right positions, culminating in his public alignment with Robinson, a polarizing British far-right figure. The transformation shocked colleagues and viewers who remembered him for his playful persona, his willingness to do 'nudie runs,' and his ability to conduct tough interviews with political leaders.
🔍 The Backstory
Karl Stefanovic joined the Today show in 2005 and became its co-host over the next decade, establishing himself as one of Australia's most recognizable television personalities. He won the Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality in 2013 and gained international attention in 2014 when he wore the same blue suit for an entire year to call out sexist double standards in the way female television hosts were judged on appearance. After being removed from Today in 2018 in a controversial network decision, he returned in 2020 before eventually moving into podcasting. Tommy Robinson (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) is a British far-right activist and founder of the English Defence League, known for his anti-Islam activism and multiple legal controversies.
🎯 Why It Matters
Stefanovic's downfall illustrates the broader phenomenon of how figures in mainstream Australian media have shifted toward more extreme political positions, mirroring trends in the US and UK where once-centrist personalities embrace far-right figures and ideologies. It also raises questions about media accountability, the culture at Channel Nine, and the relationship between declining mainstream television ratings and the rise of polarizing digital content.
Karl Stefanovic, the longtime face of Channel Nine's Today show, was dramatically dumped from his $2.8 million contract after embracing far-right activist Tommy Robinson. The Guardian's media correspondent Amanda Meade charts Stefanovic's extraordinary fall from grace, from being crowned Australia's 'hero of 2014' for wearing the same suit for a year to highlight sexism in the media to being ousted from the network just over a decade later. On Friday, Nine announced Stefanovic was leaving the media company 'immediately,' bringing an abrupt end to a 25-year career at the network.
The article traces Stefanovic's political transformation from a jovial, middle-of-the-road breakfast television host who won the Gold Logie — television's highest accolade — to a podcaster who promised he'd 'unleash the beast.' The journey began after he was controversially dropped from the Today show in 2018, returned in 2020, but was sidelined again amid declining ratings and internal tensions at Nine. His move into podcasting saw him take increasingly hard-right positions, culminating in his public alignment with Robinson, a polarizing British far-right figure. The transformation shocked colleagues and viewers who remembered him for his playful persona, his willingness to do 'nudie runs,' and his ability to conduct tough interviews with political leaders.
Karl Stefanovic joined the Today show in 2005 and became its co-host over the next decade, establishing himself as one of Australia's most recognizable television personalities. He won the Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality in 2013 and gained international attention in 2014 when he wore the same blue suit for an entire year to call out sexist double standards in the way female television hosts were judged on appearance. After being removed from Today in 2018 in a controversial network decision, he returned in 2020 before eventually moving into podcasting. Tommy Robinson (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) is a British far-right activist and founder of the English Defence League, known for his anti-Islam activism and multiple legal controversies.
Stefanovic's downfall illustrates the broader phenomenon of how figures in mainstream Australian media have shifted toward more extreme political positions, mirroring trends in the US and UK where once-centrist personalities embrace far-right figures and ideologies. It also raises questions about media accountability, the culture at Channel Nine, and the relationship between declining mainstream television ratings and the rise of polarizing digital content.